Asked by: Luke Hall (Conservative - Thornbury and Yate)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the findings of the MBRRACE-UK Perinatal Mortality Surveillance State of the Nation Report published in September 2023, what steps he is taking to reduce perinatal mortality (a) among babies from (i) deprived areas and (ii) Black and Asian backgrounds and (b) in general.
Answered by Maria Caulfield
The Department is committed to improving perinatal outcomes and working towards the Government’s Maternity Ambition to halve the 2010 rates of stillbirths and neonatal deaths. In March 2023, NHS England published its three-year delivery plan for maternity and neonatal services. The plan outlines how NHS England will make maternity and neonatal care safer, more personalised, and more equitable for all.
NHS England also published its Equity and Equality guidance for Local Maternity Systems which focuses on actions to reduce disparities for women and babies from ethnic minorities and those living in the most deprived areas.
Asked by: Luke Hall (Conservative - Thornbury and Yate)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether her Department has made an estimate of the number of Statutory Instruments which will be necessary to implement the Neonatal Care (Leave and Pay) Bill, once it receives Royal Assent, for delivery in 2024.
Answered by Kevin Hollinrake - Shadow Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities
The Neonatal Care (Leave and Pay) Bill is currently progressing through Parliament and has not yet received Royal Assent. We are committed to introducing Neonatal Care Leave and Pay as quickly as possible, and work is already underway across Government to deliver these new entitlements.
We anticipate approximately seven statutory instruments will be necessary. These will be laid in due course following Royal Assent, subject to parliamentary time.
Asked by: Luke Hall (Conservative - Thornbury and Yate)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps her Department is taking to ensure the necessary Statutory Instruments for the delivery of Neonatal Leave and Pay are laid as quickly as possible.
Answered by Kevin Hollinrake - Shadow Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities
The Neonatal Care (Leave and Pay) Bill is currently progressing through Parliament and has not yet received Royal Assent. We are committed to introducing Neonatal Care Leave and Pay as quickly as possible, and work is already underway across Government to deliver these new entitlements.
We anticipate approximately seven statutory instruments will be necessary. These will be laid in due course following Royal Assent, subject to parliamentary time.
Asked by: Luke Hall (Conservative - Thornbury and Yate)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, for what reasons the Statutory Instruments for the delivery of Neonatal Leave and Pay are not ready; and if she will make a statement.
Answered by Kevin Hollinrake - Shadow Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities
The Neonatal Care (Leave and Pay) Bill is currently progressing through Parliament and has not yet received Royal Assent. We are committed to introducing Neonatal Care Leave and Pay as quickly as possible, and work is already underway across Government to deliver these new entitlements.
We anticipate approximately seven statutory instruments will be necessary. These will be laid in due course following Royal Assent, subject to parliamentary time.
Asked by: Luke Hall (Conservative - Thornbury and Yate)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what her Department's timeline is for laying the Statutory Instruments needed for the implementation of Neonatal Leave and Pay.
Answered by Kevin Hollinrake - Shadow Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities
The Neonatal Care (Leave and Pay) Bill is currently progressing through Parliament and has not yet received Royal Assent. We are committed to introducing Neonatal Care Leave and Pay as quickly as possible, and work is already underway across Government to deliver these new entitlements.
We anticipate approximately seven statutory instruments will be necessary. These will be laid in due course following Royal Assent, subject to parliamentary time.
Asked by: Luke Hall (Conservative - Thornbury and Yate)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether she has had discussions with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on cross-departmental work on implementing Neonatal Leave and Pay; and whether she is taking steps with the Chancellor to ensure that the relevant Statutory Instruments are laid without delay.
Answered by Kevin Hollinrake - Shadow Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities
We are committed to introducing Neonatal Care Leave and Pay as quickly as possible. Work is ongoing across Government to deliver these new entitlements.
Delivery requires updates to HMRC IT systems, support for employers and payroll providers to implement changes, guidance for employers and individuals, for Parliamentary consideration of a significant amount of secondary legislation, and to align with the start of a tax year.
These actions will take approximately 18 months following Royal Assent of the (Neonatal Care Leave and Pay) Bill. Therefore, delivery is planned for April 2025.
Asked by: Luke Hall (Conservative - Thornbury and Yate)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether she is taking steps to ensure that the measures in the Neonatal Care (Leave and Pay) Bill can be delivered for the 2024-25 financial year.
Answered by Kevin Hollinrake - Shadow Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities
We are committed to introducing Neonatal Care Leave and Pay as quickly as possible. Work is ongoing across Government to deliver these new entitlements.
Delivery requires updates to HMRC IT systems, support for employers and payroll providers to implement changes, guidance for employers and individuals, for Parliamentary consideration of a significant amount of secondary legislation, and to align with the start of a tax year.
These actions will take approximately 18 months following Royal Assent of the (Neonatal Care Leave and Pay) Bill. Therefore, delivery is planned for April 2025.
Asked by: Luke Hall (Conservative - Thornbury and Yate)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what monitoring his Department carries out of who is in receipt of funds allocated through the NHS Healthcare Travel Cost Scheme, and what oversight he has of how this money is spent.
Answered by Will Quince
The information on funding distributed to National Health Service trusts to deliver the NHS Healthcare Travel Cost Scheme (HTCS) is not held centrally as funding is included within NHS Trusts’ baselines. No central monitoring is undertaken on who is in receipt of funds allocated through HTCS, or on how the money is spent. The scheme is administered by the NHS locally.
As part of its review into non-emergency patient transport services (NEPTS), including HTCS, NHS England has developed a National Minimum Data Set to monitor provision of NEPTS, including elements of HTCS, at integrated care system (ICS) level.
Asked by: Luke Hall (Conservative - Thornbury and Yate)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how much of the funding to deliver the NHS Healthcare Travel Cost Scheme has been distributed to NHS trusts in each of the last 10 years.
Answered by Will Quince
The information on funding distributed to National Health Service trusts to deliver the NHS Healthcare Travel Cost Scheme (HTCS) is not held centrally as funding is included within NHS Trusts’ baselines. No central monitoring is undertaken on who is in receipt of funds allocated through HTCS, or on how the money is spent. The scheme is administered by the NHS locally.
As part of its review into non-emergency patient transport services (NEPTS), including HTCS, NHS England has developed a National Minimum Data Set to monitor provision of NEPTS, including elements of HTCS, at integrated care system (ICS) level.
Asked by: Luke Hall (Conservative - Thornbury and Yate)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what information the Government requires NHS Trusts to publish under the NHS Healthcare Travel Cost Scheme.
Answered by Will Quince
The information on funding distributed to National Health Service trusts to deliver the NHS Healthcare Travel Cost Scheme (HTCS) is not held centrally as funding is included within NHS Trusts’ baselines. No central monitoring is undertaken on who is in receipt of funds allocated through HTCS, or on how the money is spent. The scheme is administered by the NHS locally.
As part of its review into non-emergency patient transport services (NEPTS), including HTCS, NHS England has developed a National Minimum Data Set to monitor provision of NEPTS, including elements of HTCS, at integrated care system (ICS) level.